Coil bound notebooks, including writing notebooks, organizers, calendars, planners, etc., are well known. Notebooks of this type commonly include at least one divider to partition or separate various sections thereof to facilitate location of a desired section or page. Generally, however, such dividers are non-removably placed in predetermined locations by the manufacturers such that the users can neither select the most suitable location for the placement of dividers nor remove and reinsert divider elements as desired.
One approach to remedying the disadvantages associated with conventional coil bound notebooks having dividers is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,672,785 issued to O'Hara et al., wherein an insert is disclosed comprising a sheet of material having a plurality of wing-like tabs extending therefrom which are adapted to removably engage predetermined regions of a coil binding element. Because of the configuration of the wing-like tabs, however, significant manipulation of the tabs and corresponding coil elements is required in order to couple the divider to the binding element. Thus, the wing-like tabs are more likely to break apart from the sheet and render the divider useless for its intended purpose. In addition, the embodiments disclosed by O'Hara et al. are not adapted to engage substantially the entirety of the coils of a binding element.
Therefore, a need still exists for a divider element adapted to removably couple to a coil bound notebook without undue stress being exerted on the connector elements. Further, a need exists for a removable divider element of simple construction for facilitated engagement and disengagement with a coil binding element.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a divider element adapted to removably couple to substantially the entirety of the coil portions of a binding element.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a divider element construction wherein less stress is exerted on the individual connector elements during insertion and removal, reducing the likelihood of breakage.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a divider element of simple construction and economical manufacture.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a divider element construction adapted to removably couple to almost any coil binding element.